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Shelbi Jary is a lady after my own heart. First, she loves all things vintage.

Jary spent years working in fashion and interior design and now is the project adviser for BuiltSmart Resources, a San Antonio builder specializing in sustainable building materials and practices. She recently downsized from a three-bedroom 1888 Lavaca home to a two-bedroom downtown apartment.

But she hadn't let her new modern space change her style, and her timeworn furnishings in airy neutrals give the space the patina-ed vibe she cherishes.

“Old pieces have a history and character. I know some other family had them and they'll be here long after me. And I'm hopeful a new family will find a use for them,” Jary said. “And that's why I'm in the green industry.”

The second reason we're so simpatico: she absolutely adores shelter magazines.

I mean adores. Stacks of back issues adorn her coffee table and an entire corner of her bedroom where they sit under a weathered iron table bedecked with candles — it almost resembles an altar to her magazines.

“My happy zone is sitting on a sofa or in my bed reading magazines,” she said. “It's inspiring and relaxing.”

For Jary, the happiness starts in acquiring the magazines. She actually goes up to the counter and buys them; she doesn't have subscriptions.

“I could have retired on what I've spent on magazines,” Jary said, laughing.

And she hates throwing any out.

“They're like little friends. I have some from the '80s, and I love checking in to see what's come back around and what ideas we had that we thought were fabulous and that have died.”

When she wants to wind down, she curls up on the couch and starts flipping pages.

“I don't own a TV,” she said. “I still love the feel of books and I still love the feel of magazines.”

Still, her passion for images of beautiful rooms and clothes has led to one concession to modernity: the iPad. She is an avid pinner on Pinterest; loves creating idea books on Houzz, a visual website and app populated by home images posted by designers and homeowners; and she is mad for Rue (ruemag.com) an online style magazine.

“I love 'home.' I have a real sense of 'home,'” she explained. “And I love to see other people's homes where they have a family and see how they put it together.”

What magazines do you love and where do you keep them in your home? What do you love about them? Email me the details, and be sure to include photos!